x INTRODUCTION. 
I am greatly indebted to Mr. Jacob Cross (First Class Petty Officer, R.N.), who 
made himself acquainted with my work, and gave up much of his spare time to 
help in it. As a skinner of seals and penguins he had no equal on the ship, and 
soon surpassed his teacher. , 
Although the majority of the photographs used in these reports were taken, as I 
have said, by Lieut. Skelton, I have also used photographs by other members of the 
Expedition, and for these I express my thanks to them, while I acknowledge their 
names in the “List of Ilustrations.” The coloured plates are from drawings by 
myself, as are the other illustrations in black-and-white, with one exception, namely 
Plate ILI. of the Seals, which has been reproduced from drawings by Mr. Engel Terzi. 
While acknowledging with real gratitude the time and attention that my proofs 
have received from Captain G: E. H. Barrett Hamilton, who has looked over the Report 
upon the Seals, and from Mr. Eagle Clarke and Mr. Pycraft, who have both been good 
enough to revise the Birds, I must at the same time take full responsibility for the 
errors and shortcomings that may be found in them. 
My sincere thanks are due to Dr. Bowdler Sharpe and Mr. Oldfield Thomas 
for the facilities given to me while at work in their respective departments, and to 
Mr. Jeffrey Bell, as General Editor, for much kindly help and many excellent 
suggestions, 
Epwarp A. WILSON. 
Westal, Cheltenham. 
January 2nd, 1907. 
